FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Constitution Hill Small Business Loans
Tell me what you think of the Constitution Hill Small Business Loans
Constitution Hill unsecured loans offers amounts between $5,000 and $100,000, with terms ranging from 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow-friendly repayments, which are either daily or weekly.
What makes the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional business loan?
It is possible to apply to this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes online or by phone. You will receive an instant response and have the funds in your account in 24 hours. Traditional business loans are based on an annual rate of interest plus other fees and charges. The company loan is a cash-based loan so you will know in advance the total amount payable including the interest, fees and charges. This is then broken down into either a daily or weekly repayment figure.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for nearly any company use, including the management of cash flow, company improvements, advertising, to purchase inventory or new equipment, for general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
About larger Constitution Hill Business Loans
What is the Larger Constitution Hill Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support company growth opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term that can last up to 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly depending on you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee determined?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, calculated at 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a credit that is this large, your business needs to be trading for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of $700,000. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18 as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able of proving at the least 12 months of operating.
How can the funds be used for?
A large company loan can be used to fund almost any business purpose including business renovations, purchase of new equipment or inventory or as general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that requires security?
Asset security is required for accessing funds over $150,000. This can be done in the form of a charge against assets, and could be registered with the PPSR or registering as a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a promise to pay back a loan that is general in nature, rather than defining security over a particular asset. The person signing the guarantee is personally liable in the event that the company creditor is unable to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register that is operated by the New Zealand Government. It lists security interests that are granted to individuals who own personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR allows preference over private property granted according to the date a registration of a security interest.
Caveats are legal form of document to provide notice of a legal claim on a property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
If you’re applying for the Larger Business Loan that is greater than $250,000 it is possible to offer a preliminary pre-approval to help ease the process. It is possible to do this without a credit check and within 6 hours of your initial application. The pre-approval is based upon an initial evaluation that involves answering a couple of financial well-being checks. It’s neither an offer nor a guarantee of credit. Unconditional approval is subject to a full credit assessment and any offer that you might receive could have different terms.
Application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You are eligible to apply for a business loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over the age of 18 and own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- must show at least six months of business (for for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K to $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and simple. Simply complete the online form within a few minutes and an experienced company credit specialist will contact you to guide you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000, you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s Licence), a valid NZBN/IRD and at least six months of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll also require:
$100K – $250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if you have a loan of more than $150K).
$250K-$500K: Details for application including credit consent as well as 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement as well as the two most recent years’ financial statements, as well as interim financials from the current financial year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables reports.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K and up) We can usually offer an answer in just one hour – as long as you submit your request at quality business time and permit us to use the advanced bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you decide to submit copies of your bank statements we can offer an answer within just one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we may be capable of provide you with conditional pre-approval within 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Certain deals have been approved in the space of 24 hours.
The quickest method is to ensure you apply during normal business hours and allow us to use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload the copies of bank accounts, it will take a little longer.
How fast will I get the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) We can usually offer an answer within one hour – as long as you apply in normal business times and permit us to use the bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you opt to upload copies of your banking statements, we will be able to provide an answer within the span of one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we could be able to provide the conditional pre-approval in around six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are around 2-3 days for final approval, however this could be shorter based on the particular circumstances of each application. Some agreements have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The most efficient method is to make sure you apply during normal business hours. Also, let us use the modern bank verification link to check your bank’s information online. If you decide to upload duplicates of your banking accounts, it will take a little longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We offer the loan amount between $5,000 to $500,000. If you apply for a specific amount we look at a variety of variables to determine what is the well-being of the business and the extent of payments your business will be able to support. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances of your business.
When you submit an application for a particular amount, we will consider a number of aspects to determine how much we can lend you such as well-being of your business and the amount of repayments your company can support. The amount you receive from your loan will be determined by the particular circumstances of your company.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for the cost of a business loan?
When you apply for the business financing, we will assess the risk profile the business and provide an individualised offer that includes the amount of the loan, the duration and interest rates. This company loan is an upfront-priced loan so you will be aware in advance of the total amount due, which includes any interest rates, fees or charges.
What determines the rate that I pay?
Interest rates for company loans rates differ based on various factors including the amount borrowed, what business assets the funds are used to purchase, the industry the business is operating in, how long the company has been running and how long the business has enough cash flow to pay for the loan, and also the overall health or financial standing of the business.
What are the costs?
There are no hidden costs with our company loans, and you’ll know exactly how much you need to pay, and when, right from the first day. There’s not any compounding interest and there are no additional charges (as long as you make your payments in time).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You are able to make an application for loans with with no upfront cost or obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with setting up and managing the loan. You are only charged this cost if you take out the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the amount of loan.
Can I pay out the loan early?
You can choose to repay the entire amount of your loan in full at any time.
If you choose to pursue this option, please call our helpful business loan professionals. We will provide you with details on repayment along with an early payout estimate. The figure will be calculated as the sum of the principal balance and the accrued interest up to the date of early payout and 1.5% of the principal amount remaining plus any outstanding fees.
How do you make repayments work?
To make sure that you don’t miss due dates and also to be in line your cash flow schedule, we offer repayments that are either weekly or daily. These are automatically withdrawn from your designated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
Making sure that your information is secure, and being upfront about the ways we gather the information we collect, use, share and ensure the security of your information is vital and a vital aspect of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption standards to protect your personal, sensitive financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to security for our clients and security. We employ an exceptionally sophisticated bank verification system to instantly verify the bank account details online, allowing us to offer a fast response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
An asset-based loan is when a business owner makes use of the assets they have to secure the funding. The asset may be an individual asset, such as the family home or an company asset such as a vehicle or piece of equipment.
The majority of lenders, not just the largest banks, are inclined to secure loans against an asset. If you’re struggling to pay back the loan, then the asset might be transferred to the lender. In essence, it’s a way of securing additional financing taking advantage of the value of what you already own.
Should I need security to secure a company loan?
For loans of up to $150,000, the requirement for asset security is not required in advance to gain access to the funds however, we do require the personal guarantee. As long as you follow your loan obligations (as stated in the loan contract) the security of assets will never be needed. For loans over $150K generally there is an individual ensure and security in the form an asset charge.